Snap-on closure opening device

ABSTRACT

An opening device for removable, snap-on container closures comprising a pair of pivotably associated tabs, one tab being hingedly connected to a container part and the other tab connected to the container closure whereby the container and the closure attached ends of the tabs work away from each other to open the container when the opposed free ends of said tabs are manual moved toward one another.

United States Patent 1 j 1 9 Hunt I g a [451 Feb. 26, 1974 SNAP-ONCLOSURE OPENING DEVICE Primary Examiner-George T. Hall 75 I t K men orCharles J Hunt Mommg Vlew y Attorney, Agent, or Ftrm--Walter S. Murray[73] Assignees Vulcan Corporation, Cincinnati,

Ohio

22 Filed: Aug. 9, 1972 7] ABSTRACT APPL N08 279,220 An opening devicefor removable, snap-on container closures comprising a pair of pivotablyassociated 52 us. Cl 220/36 220/385 215/46 R tabs, one tab beinghingedly connected to a Container 51 1 rm. Cl B6511 43/16, B 65d 51/10 Pand the other tab Connected to the container [58] pick] f Search 4220/36385 43 60 R 47, sure whereby the container and the closure attached 6 5;215/46 41 ends of the tabs'work away from'each other to open thecontainer when the opposed free ends of said tabs 5 References Cited aremanual moved toward one another.

UNITED STATES PATENT 3,753,512 8/1973 Curry i 220/47 4 CIaiins, 3Drawing Figures 21. 12622 izzu aamauluw 2. w; 8: s

This invention relates to opening devices for removable, snap-oncontainer closures and is particularly directed to container closures ofthis character that are molded, one-piece with thecontainer fromsomewhat flexible plastic materials.

An object of the invention is to provide a manually operable closureopening device for the snap-on type caps of containers which requiresrelatively little manual pressure to open a tightly sealed container.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a simplified, yet ruggedopening device for the closures of sealed containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a convenientlyaccessible closure opening device having the foregoing characteristicsthat is integrally attached to and particularly adapted for use withone-piece plastic containers.

vFurther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following specification, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 isa greatly enlarged, fragmental section when on line 3-3 of FIG.2,v the dotted lines indicating the initially released position of theclosure, and the dotand-dash lines illustrating a slightly modified formof the invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawings a container 5, preferrablyuseful as a small paint pot for childrens painting sets comprises twodish-shaped parts 6 and 7, the part 6 serving as the main container bodyand part 7 the closure cap for said body The container is ideally madefrom a single molded piece of a somewhat flexible synthetic resinousmaterial and the parts 6 and 7 are hingedly connected together by anintegrally formed tether 8.

As best shown in FIG. 3 the container part 6 has a circular flange 9provided at its central exterior portion with an outwardly projectedridge l and the container cap part 7 has a circular flange 11 whichtelescopes with the flange 9 and has an internal rib 12 that tightlysnaps over the shoulder and provides a tightly fitted releasable sealbetween said parts when the parts are manually pressed together.

The body part 6 has an elongated closure cap opening tab 13 connected tothe body 6 at the base of the flange 9 and opposite the tether 8preferrably by a thin,

'reduced portion 14 of the container formed between the tab 13 and thebody part 6. This tab projects from the side of the body part 6 and hasthe general shape of an isosceles triangle in the direction of itselongated extension from the body. The tab is provided with a number oflaterally extending teeth 15 at its apex portion. An opening tab I6projects from the side of the part 7 opposite the tether and, ishingedly connected to the lower edge portion 17 of the flange 11 by athin reduced portion 18 provided between said edge and the tab 16. Thistab 16 is also triangularly shaped in the direction of its elongatedextension from the cap, the apex of its body portion having lateralteeth 19 formed therein which cooperate with the teeth 15 on the tab 13,as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In operation when it is'desired to open the container for access to itscontents the sides of the parts 6 and 7, opposed to the tether 8, aremoved apart to release the sealed connection between the flange ll ofthe cap 7 and the flange 9 of the body 6 by hand pressure exertedinwardly on the free ends of the tabs 13 and 16 in the direction of thearrows shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. This pressure will initiallybring the teeth 15 and 19 on the appices of the tabs 13 and 16,respectively, into engagement with each other to provide a positivefulcrum means whereby upon continued manual pressure on the free ends ofthe tab the hinged inner ends of the tabs will be moved apart toseparate the cap from the body and then move said cap away from theflange 9 of the container body 6, as indicated by the dotted lines inFIG. 3.

It is also contemplated that-the opening tab 13 may be fixedly mountedon the container body 6 by means of an integral rib 20 depicted indot-and-dash lines in FIG. 3, said rib being integrally joined to theunderside of the tab 13 and to the exterior surface'2l of the body 6. Inthis modification the container 5 may be supported on a horizontallydisposed top wall 22 by the expedient of-forming a keyhole slot 23 inthe top 22 to receive and support the circular body 6 of the containerand the rib 20. In this instance'only the tab 16 need be manuallydepressed to lift theclosure cap 7 from the flange 9 of the body 6 asthe body and the tab 13 are supported by the top 22.

It will therefore be understood that I have provided a pair ofcooperative tabs each hingedly connected to the snapon parts of a cappedcontainer, said tabs being so pivoted together that their commoncontainer attached ends work away from each other to open the parts whenthe opposed free ends of the tabs are manually pressed together.

What is claimed is:

I. An opening device for snap-on plastic closures for containers havingtwo dish-shaped parts each with telescoping fitted flanges comprising apair of cooperative opening tabs, hinge means connecting at least onetab to an external edge portion of a flange for a part, said tabs havingtriangularly shaped body portions in their direction of extension fromtheir flanges respectively, the apices of the tabs being disposed inconfronting relationship whereby upon pressing together of the free endsof the tabs the tab apices form a fulcrum on which the tabs rock to moveapart the flanges and open the closure parts.

2. An opening device set forth in claim 1 wherein the apex of each tabhas cooperative laterally extending teeth to provide a positive fulcrumfor the tabs thereof anchored against relative longitudinal movement.

3. An opening device set forth in claim 1 wherein a hinge means connectseachtab to a flange for its re-' spective container part.

4. An opening device as set forth in claim 1 wherein one said tab isfixedly connected to a container part.

1. An opening device for snap-on plastic closures for containers havingtwo dish-shaped parts each with telescoping fitted flanges comprising apair of cooperative opening tabs, hinge means connecting at least onetab to an external edge portion of a flange for a part, said tabs havingtriangularly shaped body portions in their direction of extension fromtheir flanges respectively, the apices of the tabs being disposed inconfronting relationship whereby upon pressing together of the free endsof the tabs the tab apices form a fulcrum on which the tabs rock to moveapart the flanges and open the closure parts.
 2. An opening device setforth in claim 1 wherein the apex of each tab has cooperative laterallyextending teeth to provide a positive fulcrum for the tabs thereofanchored against relative longitudinal movement.
 3. An opening deviceset forth in claim 1 wherein a hinge means connects each tab to a flangefor it''s respective container part.
 4. An opening device as set forthin claim 1 wherein one said tab is fixedly connected to a containerpart.